Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister, Joan Elizabeth Hurle, 86, of Merrimack, New Hampshire passed away on July 19th, 2024 following a fall at home. Born Joan Elizabeth Hodgson in September 1937 in Springfield, Massachusetts to parents Donald and Bernice, she attended primary school in Worcester, MA and later graduated with a degree in mathematics from UMass Amherst. Married to Robert (Bob) Charles Hurle in June 1959 in Holden, MA, they started their family in Pocasset, MA, moved to Buzzards Bay, MA where they lived for 16 years, and later to Merrimack in 1977, where she and Bob settled down.
Joan is survived by her husband Bob of 65 years; her sister, Marjory West; her children, Mark (Julia Farrell), Michael (John Ramelli), Melinda, and Megan Floyd (Larry); her grandchildren, Andrew Hurle (Danielle Nguyen), Corey Hutchinson (Olivia Kornik), Joan Hurle (Tarah Hicks), Jason Hurle, Skyler Hurle, Sierra Hurle, Brady Hutchinson, Kyran Hurle, Elizabeth Floyd, and Abigail Floyd, along with her great-grandchild Hailey Hutchinson. Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Bernice, her son Nathan, and her brother-in-law George.
She was a substitute teacher at Thorntons Ferry Elementary for many years. Longtime member of St. James United Methodist Church, Joan will be remembered for her devotion to her family, her dedication to her students, her love of singing with the church choir, her famous lemon bars, and her passion for games and puzzles.
A funeral service was held at St. James United Methodist Church in Merrimack, NH on Saturday, July 27th.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the St. James Food Pantry. Please make donations payable to St. James UMC with ‘Food Pantry’ written in the memo line of the check. Donates can be made online at https://stjames-umchurch.org/food-pantry/ or mailed to the church directly.
St. James United Methodist Church
646 Daniel Webster Highway
P.O. Box 895
Merrimack, NH 03054